Apparatus for supplying separated fibers to a spinning apparatus



sucn. ETAL April 22, 1969 F. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING SEPARATED FIBERS TO A SPINNING APPARATUS Filed Jfln. l9, 1967 Sheet Apnl 22, 1969 v F. cu. ETAL 3,439,438

APPARATU QR S LYING SEPARATED FIBERS A SPINNING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1967 Sheet 3 of a Apr-1122, 1969 F. BUCIL ETAL 3,439,488

1 APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING SEPARATED FIBERS TO A SPINNING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19. 19s? Sheet 5 United States Patent U.S. c1. 57-5895 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for supplying separated fibers to a spinning machine includes a rotatable fiber combing roller having an outer circumferential combing surface which, during rotation of the roller, defines an area of intensive action upon the fibers. A feeding mechanism applies gripping pressure to a fibrous sliver and feeds this sliver to the combing roller tangentially with reference to the surface thereof. The feeding mechanism is spaced by a predetermined distance from the area of intensive action of the combing roller.

This invention relates to apparatus for supplying separated fibers to a spinning apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for separating textile fibers fed thereto in the form of a fibrous body, for example a sliver. The invention is especially useful for the continuous ringless spinning of yarn, and includes a rotating combing roller and a driven feeding mechanism attached thereto and exerting a clamping pressure upon the fibrous body which it feeds to the combing roller.

In the continuous ringless spinning process, separated fibers are fed into a rotating spinning chamber. Separation of fibers by means of a combing roller with teeth around its periphery from a sliver fed thereto is known. In such apparatus a feeding roller feeds the sliver to the combing roller, the feeding roller being attached in proximity to the active surface of the combing roller. A clamping bridge is positioned opposite the feeding roller with an edge thereof located near the surface of the combing roller, over which the sliver is bent. The teeth of the combing roller comb the fibers of a sliver out, and these fibers are moved into a delivery channel disposed tangentially to the combing roller. Rotation of the spinning chamber creates a vacuum which conveys the separated fibers through the delivery channel and into the spinning chamher, in well known manner. The combing roller is situated in a separator body having a stationary arcuate wall near the combing roller in the section of the body between the feeding roller and the delivery channel. The fibers are thus led as far as the delivery channel, where they leave the separator by the action of the centrifugal force and the aerodynamic forces set up by the combing-out roller. A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the teeth of the combing roller act upon the sliver immediately beyond the edge of the clamping bridge, that is to say from the moment at which the forward end of the sliver passes that edge. The teeth of the combing roller act upon the sliver for the entire distance between the gripping point of the feeding roller and the forward edge of the clamping bridge. If the intensity of the combing action together with frictional forces exceeds the strength of the fiber, breakage of the fibers takes place, and a lower quality of the spun yarn results.

These disadvantages have been overcome to some extent by positioning the feed roller and its coacting parts at a great distance from the surface of the combing roller 3,439,488 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 and from the edge of the bridge. Thus, the sliver guiding wall of the separator body approaches the surface of the combing roller as it approaches the edge of the bridge. As a result, the combing action becomes intensive only at the edge of the bridge. By this action the fed fibers are stressed to a considerably lesser degree until they are intensively combed at the edge of the bridge. Intensive combing, therefore, occurs over a shorter period of time than was formerly the case. The arrangement just described has been found to lower the rate of fiber breakage noticeably.

However, this prior art improvement has its disadvantages. The combing forces are uncontrollable in connection with operation of the apparatus upon fibrous materials of different staple lengths. Furthermore, the distances of the feeding roller from the bridge and from the combing roller are constant, and cannot be altered as the combing roller revolves at constant speed.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to 'make possible adaptation of apparatus of the type described to fibrous materials of different staple lengths.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such an apparatus which is adjustable within the limits of such adaptation.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus wherein the distance between the points of gripping pressure and the area of intensive action of the combing roller may be adjusted.

It. is still another object of the invention to make such adjustment possible during operation of the apparatus.

A purpose of the present invention is to make the distance between the point of gripping pressure of the feeding mechanism and the area of intensive action by the combing roller upon the fibrous material adjustable, whereby the length of the fiber combing area is changed. The feeding roller or rollers are adjustable with respect to the area of action of the combing roller, whereby the apparatus may be adapted to material having different fiber lengths.

According to the invention the fiber combing roller having an area of intensive action upon the fibers, has a sliver of fibrous material fed thereto by a driven feeding mechanism applying gripping pressure to the sliver, and a meansis provided for adjusting the distance between the points of application of the gripping pressure and the area of intensive action.

In one embodiment of the invention the adjustment comprises a guideway fixed on the machine frame and the feeding mechanism is mounted on a slide movable in this guideway, the feeding mechanism comprising two feeding rollers, means for resiliently pressing the rollers against each other, and means for driving at least one of the rollers.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation, shown partly in mid-section of a rotary spinning mechanism, a fiber separator and a feeding mechanism, all constructed and arranged according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the open body of the separator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section, of a separator similar to that of FIG. 1 and a feeding mechanism of the double-apron type for separating fibers of short staple lengths;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section, of the separator illustrated in FIG. 3 adjusted for separating fibers of long staple length;

FIG. is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section, of a separator and a fiber-feeding mechanism comprising a single feeding roller which is swingable about an axis, adjusted for feeding a sliver of fibers of long staple length;

FIG. 6 shows the same embodiment adjusted for feeding fibers of short staple length;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the removable insert shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the feeding mechanism illustrated in FIG 1; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic elevation, of a separator and a feeding mechanism similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 werein the reversing pins are stationary and only the feeding rollers are displaced.

The separator shown in the drawings comprises a body 1 having a circular recess 2 therein in which is mounted a combing roller 3 of known construction. In the lower right-hand portion of the body 1 there is provided a second recess 4 to accommodate a part of the feeding mechanism, later to be described. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and 9 these recesses are directly interconnected, as by a feeding channel 5 shown in FIG. 1. The circular recess 2, as shown in the drawings, is connected on the right at the top with a delivery channel 6 in the body 1, in such a way as to let the circumferentially arranged teeth 7 of the combing roller 3 partially penetrate the delivery channel. The delivery channel has at the right, as viewed in the drawings, an inwardly narrowing entrance 61 which is open to atmosphere. The right wall of the feeding channel 5, as shown, turns to form an arcuate guiding wall 8 which progessively approaches the toothed rim of the combing roller 3 in the direction of its rotation. At the end 81 of the guiding wall 8 the wall has attained a position nearest to the teeth 7 of the roller 3, and there intercepts the delivery channel 6.

The feding mechanism shown in FIGS. -1, 3, 4, 8 and 9 is disposed in or adjacent the lower recess 4 in the body 1. This mechanism comprises two feed rollers 9 and 10 rotatably mounted on arms 11 and 12 of a slide 13, the latter being mounted in guides 14 and 15 in a guideway 16. The guideway I16 is stationarily mounted on the machine frame -(not shown). An unthreaded end (not shown) of a screw 17 is mounted for rotation in the bottom of the slide 13-. The screw 17 passes through an opening 18 in the guideway :16, and an adjusting nut 20, threaded upon the screw 17 adjacent the lower face of the guideway d6, serves to draw the screw downwardly and with it the slide 13. A compression spring 19, interposed between the guideway 16 and the slide 13 acts to move the slide upwardly in the guideway. Thus the position of the feeding rollers 9 and 110 is adjustable merely by turning the nut 20 which acts either to draw the slide 13 downwardly in the guideway or to permit the spring 19 to move the slide upwardly in the guideway. The righthand feeding roller 10 is rotatably mounted in the arm 12 of the guideway by means of a pin 23 transversely slidable in an elongated slot in the arm 12. A spring 21 is compressed between the pin 23 and a bracket 22 of the slide to urge the feeding roller 10 toward the feeding roller 9 to grip a sliver 29 between the two feeding rollers. The feeding roller 9 is not transversely movable, and is driven in any known or convenient manner (not illustrated) to cause the two feeding rollers to feed the sliver 29 to the combing roller 3.

The distance from the point of application of the gripping pressure by the feeding rollers 9 and 10 to the end of the arcuate guiding wall, measured along the arc, is slightly smaller than the average staple length of the fibers to be combed by the separator.

The delivery channel transfers the separated fibers from the separator into the spinning chamber 24 which is 4 a well-known construction and which operates in known manner. The chamber has therein escape openings 25, through which air is expelled by rotation of the chamber to create a vacuum therein. Thus the separated fibers are drawn into the spinning chamber. The spun yarn 26 is withdrawn from the chamber by withdrawing rollers 27, beyond which it is wound upon a bobbin 28.

Before starting a spinning operation and beginning to supply separated fibers to the spinning machine the distance between the gripping pressure point of the feeding rollers 9 and 10 and the area A is adjusted. This is done by turning the adjusting nut 20 upon the screw 17 to retract the slide 13 in the guideway 16 against the force of the screw 19, or to permit this screw 19 to advance the slide 13 in the guideway 16. By this adjustment the distance between the gripping point and the end 8.1 of the arcuate guiding wall is made slightly shorter than the staple fiber length of the sliver 29. It is noted that the combined force of combing roller and the delivery chamber must be sufficient to loosen and accelerate the fibers, but not sufficient to overcome their strength. This force can be changed by adjusting the distance referred to above; and if the staple length is substantially constant, the position of the area A may be so changed.

The apparatus described above is thus suitable, on the one hand, for the adaptation to a given staple length, and on the other hand for adjusting the apparatus to the optimum combing action. It will be recognized that the apparatus is adapted to adjustment during operation as well as adjustment before the spinning and feeding operations.

In FIGS. 3, 4 and 9 embodiments of the invention are shown in which double belt elements 31 and 32 of known form pass over the feeding rollers 9 and 10 and actually engage the sliver 29. The double belt elements pass over reversing pins 33 and 34 respectively and therefore travel over a feeding roller 9 and a reversing pin 34 and a feeding roller 10 and a reversing pin 33 respectively in feeding the sliver to the combing roller 3. The belts 31 and 32 are elastic, and the reversing pins 33 and 34 may be fixed near the combing roller 3 in the separator body 1, extending therefrom parallel to the axes of the feeding rollers. A variable gripping surface for the sliver is thus created. On the other hand, the reversing pins 33 and 34 may be similarly mounted in the slide 13 at a fixed distance from the feeding rollers 9 and 10. A constant gripping surface between the elastic belts 31 and 32 is thus provided, and adjustment is made by varying the position of the slide 13 in the guideway 16.

In this embodiment the endless belts 31 and 32, of course, move with the feeding rollers 9 and 10, the sliver being carried between the two belts and the gripping surface being different from the feeding channel 5 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in that the conveying of the fibrous body is controllable, the main gripping action being exerted upon the sliver by the rollers 9 and 10. The gripping surfaces of the two belts is directed tangentially toward the active surface of the combing roller 3. The advantage of the elastic belt arrangement just described is that controllable processing of staple material of different fiber lengths is thus made possible, and thereby random displacement of shorter fibers is prevented. Otherwise the devices illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 9 operate i151 a way similar to that of the apparatus illustrated in In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 only one driven feeding roller 10a is used, the pin 23a of which passes through an arcuate opening 35 of the body 1. The feeding roller 10a is carried by a holder 36 which is swingable about the axis of the combing roller 3. The holder 36 is biased by a compression spring 37 in the anticlockwise direction, the feeding roller thus being pressed against the fibrous body or sliver 29, which is supported by an abutment or nose 38 of an insert 39. The insert 39 is carried and positioned by pins 40 and 41 mounted in the body 1 and serving the purpose of fixing the position of the in-t sert in the body. The insert 39 is fixed to the body 1 by means of a screw 42, and is thus removable from the body.

The insert 39 is shaped so that a flat surface 391 thereof forms one wall of the funnel-shaped entrance 61 of the delivery channel 6; and a surface 392 thereof makes it possible suitably to mount an inwardly tapered sliver tube 43 upon the body 1. The insert has a third surface 393 which is arcuate and which constitutes a wall of the feeding mechanism which performs a function analogous to that of the arcuate guiding wall 8 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

One of a series of substitute inserts may be employed, the insert to be used being selected according to the required intensity of combing and the staple length of the fibers. An insert 39 is applied to the body 1 which will secure the optimum length of area A of intensive action upon the fibers and an optimum distance between the section A and the gripping pressure at the nose 38. The reduction of intensity of action upon the fibers during combing is achieved, at a constant staple length, by such an insert that will increase the distance referred to.

When substituting one insert 39 for another, the end of the arcuate guiding wall 81 of the surface 393 must always be in the same position. This is necessary to maintain unchanged the pneumatic condition in the delivery channel 6. Where an insert with a longer arcuate surface 393 is used, the nose 38 is moved downwardly, displacing the pin 23a of the feeding roller 10a in the arcuate opening 35. When it is necessary to increase the intensity of action upon the fibers, an insert is substituted having a shorter arcuate surface 393, thus prolonging the effective length of the section A.

Adjustment of this embodiment can be effected during operation of the apparatus.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a' useful application in other types of apparatus for supplying separated fibers to a spinning machine diifering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an arrangement for separating the fibers of a sliver, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for supplying separated fibers to a spinning machine, comprising a rotatable fiber combing roller having an outer circumferential combing surface which during rotation of the roller defines an area of intensive action upon the fibers; a feeding mechanism for applying gripping pressure to a fibrous sliver and for feeding said sliver to said combing roller, said mechanism being spaced a predetermined distance from said area of intensive action; and guide means extending from said feeding mechanism to said rotatable fiber combing roller in a direction tangential to said outer circumferential combing surface thereof, so as to guide said fibrous sliver from said may be adapted to fibrous materials of different staple length.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said adjusting means comprises a guideway fixed on the machine frame, and said feeding mechanism is mounted on a slide movable in said guideway.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said feeding mechanism comprises two feeding rollers, means for resiliently pressing said feeding rollers against each other, and means for driving at least one of said rollers.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a separator body having therein a recess containing said combing roller, a feeding channel in said separator body meeting such recess substantially tangentially for guiding the fibrous body from said feeding mechanism to said combing roller, and a separated fiber delivery channel in said separator body meeting such recess substantially tangentially beyond the feeding channel in the direction of movement of said combing roller.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, including a guideway fixed on said separator body, a slide movable in said guideway toward and away from the area of combing rollerintensive action, two feeding rollers mounted on said slide, means for pressing said feeding rollers resiliently against each other for applying gripping pressure to the fibrous body, two reversing pins fixed in said separator body extending therefrom parallel to the axes of said feeding rollers, and two juxaposed coacting elastic belts each passing around a feeding roller and a reversing pin; said means comprising means for adjusting said slide in said guideway, whereby said elastic belts apply a variable gripping surface to the fibrous body.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a separator body having therein a recess containing said combing roller; said feeding mechanism comprising a single feeding roller swingably mounted in said separator body and resiliently biased in the gripping direction; and said adjusting means comprising a removable insert forming one wall of a fibrous body feeding channel in said separator body; said insert having a nose coacting with said feeding roller to grip the fibrous body against said feeding roller and to swing the feeding roller against its bias to adjust said distance.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said separator body has therein a separated fiber delivery channel meeting said recess tangentially, and wherein said removable insert provides a wall of the delivery channel.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 including a fixedlypositioned edge of said removable insert in which the walls of the feeding channel and the delivery channel formed thereby meet.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, including a feeding roller holder pivoted for oscillation about the axis of rotation of said combing roller and providing the roller; said feeding roller being rotatably mounted thereon; and resilient means for biasing said holder toward said insert providing the means for resiliently biasing said feeding roller in the gripping direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,119,223 1/1964 Meimberg 57 50 3,122,904 3/1964 Brandt 19 10s XR 3,188,834 6/1965 Radtke 19-105 XR 3,295,307 1/l967 Kyame et al. 57-58.89 3,210,923 10/1965 Schlosser 57-5895 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner.

US. 01. X.R. 

